POLL ON AUSTRALIAN CONSTITUTION
(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) CANBERRA, May 26. More than six million Australians will go to the polls tomorrow to decide whether their constitution should be amended. The main referendum seeks the people’s approval to cut the numerical link between the size of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Constitution provides that the Representatives (in which representation is on a population basis) shall be as near as practicable to twice the size of the Senate (in which all six States have equal representation at present 10 Senators to each State).
All three major political parties, Liberal, Country and Australian Labour, are supporting the proposal to change the constitution by breaking the link or “nexus” to use the unfamiliar word which has been drummed into Australian ears for the last fortnight. They argue that, with an increased population, Australia needs more members of the House of Representatives but no more Senators.
The second question to be decided tomorrow will seek power for the Commonwealth Government to make laws for aborigines. It also provides for aborigines to be counted in a census.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31380, 27 May 1967, Page 13
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184POLL ON AUSTRALIAN CONSTITUTION Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31380, 27 May 1967, Page 13
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